Vapor outlet for stills



`lune 24,1930; R. wu-SON I 1767196 VAPOR OUTLET Fok s'HLns Filed May 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l l y L3 LQ, \y

t W W i il l June 24, 1930. R. wlLsoN '1,767,196

varon OUTLET Fon sTILLs Filed may 22. 1924 2 'sheets-sheenA 2 YH Q U1 l\ Q y\ A W l vs "I z fW//M/ Patented June 2,4, 1930 UNITI-:D STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT E. WILSON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 STANDARD OIL COMPANY, OF

I WHITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA varon. OUTLET Fon sTILLs Application led May 22,

The present invention relates to improve- 'ments in vapor outlets for stills, more particularly those used in the distillation yof crude oils, residual. oils and the like, with steam, and will be fully understood from the following description, illustrated by the accompany drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through aV still embodying the present invention, taken on 'the brokenline 1--1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a broken plan view, partly in section, of the still;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the still on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional viewv through the vapor take-olf on the line of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a broken sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. y Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a still or vapor separating drum, suitably of the horizontalcylindrical type, and provided with suitable inlet and outlet plpes-such Aas 11 and 12 respectively and suitably with a steam.

I within the still is closed. On its upper side and pipe 14 is slotted longitudinally for substantially its entire length within the still, the edges of 'the slots being held in their proper spaced relation by the spacers or ties` 16 at suitable intervals along the pipe. A substantially vertical partition 17 extends lengthwise of the slot diametrically across the take-off pipe14, this vertical partition or fin being formed, in the embodiment illustrated, of two lengths of relatively thin sheet metal 17 forming a slight diverging an leA with each other, as best illustrated lin t e sectional view of the take-olf pipe 14 in Fig.

1924. Serial No. 715,063.

4. At each end the partition 17 is provided with suitablemeans (not shown) for preventing passage of vapors between the metal sheets`17'21 into the pipe 14. The upper ends of the members 17a torming the central -fin are provided in any suitable manner with outwardly curved lips 18, which likewise extend for substantially the entire lengthof the slot in the upper surface of the pipe 14. These lips are ,spaced from the edges of the slot by suitable spacers 19, against which the lips 18 are held by any suitable means, such as the wedges 20 forced between the members 17a of the partition,y 17. In practice it has been found suitable to arrange the spacers 19 and wedges 2O on each side of the tie members 16 hereinbefore referred to. In this way, narrow longitudinally extending openings are constituted between the lips 18 and the adjacent edges of the slot in the upper surface of the pipe 14, to permit passage of the vapors .\into said pipe 14.

In the operation of this still, the vapors given 0E by the liquid in the still together with the steam injectedare drawn oil' through the take-off pipe 14 and passed' 'through the pipe 15 through the 'condensing 3 system (not shown). In leaving the sti they are forced to pass around the take-oli' pipe 14 and are directed by the lips 18 in a curved path through the narrowlongitudi-y nally extending openings between said lips and the adjacent edges of the slot in the up per side of the take-off pipe 14, into the interior of said pipe. `In'so doing, entrained particles ot unvaporized liquid are thrown out against the lips 18 and the. partition members 17, down which fthey drain into the lower portion of the take-olf pipe. For removal of the liquid thus deposited in the pipe, a plurality of Fdrain o enings 21 are provided along the bottom o the pip`e. At each of these drain openings a dam 22 may suitably be provided to aid in the collection and draining ofthe liquid. Fromthese drain openings 21, pipes23lead. to a downwardly inclined drain pipe V24. This drain pipe 24 is. continued externally of the still as' valved pipe 25. A connection is made from the drain pipe 24 within the still by a downwardly depending pipe 26, the lower end of which is upcurved to forma liquid trap and prevent vapors from making their exit therethrough. Itis desiredrto remove the liquid accumulated in the take-off pipe 14, the open'end of the pipe 26 may be capped and the liquid removed through the pipes 24 and 25. If it is desired to return the liquid to the still, the valve in the pipe 25 may be closed, the pipe 26 being left open, and the accumulated liquid thereby drained into the still.

As is readily apparent, the take-olf pipe of the present invention provides amply for the removal of the vapors and steam from the still. 'All of the vapors are forced to pass in a curved path through the narrow openings provided on the upper side of the take-oil' pipe, and in doing so entrained particles of liquid are thrown out against the lips 18 and fins 17a and drained to the bottom of the pipe, being removed from the still or returned to the liquid therein, as desired, by means of the drain pipe 24. The

take-off pipe, being entirely within the vapor space of the still, is at substantially the temperature of vapors, and undesirable condensation of vapors is thereby prevented. The width of the slits through which the vapor passes may readily be varied by removing the spacers '19 and substituting other spacers of the desired width, the wedges 20,

being correspondingly moved in position.

The vapor take-oil pipe 14 should preferably extend into the still for at least onethird its length; and in general it is preferred that it extend for two-thirds the length of the still or an even .greater proportion. For. use in a still fifteen feet in diameter and thirty-live feet long, a takeoff pipe fifteen inches to two feet in diameter may be employed, extending twenty-eight feet into the still, the slots on each side of the central partition or fins bein 'approximately one-fourth inch wide an approximately twenty-'five to twenty-six feet long. These proportions and dimensions may be varied as desired, being determined -by the maximum pressure drop .permissible in accordance with or 'nary refinery engineering practice andk by the vapor velocities desired for removal of entrainment, wbichit ,is preferred should exceed fifty feetper second. A

The. term still has been used in the claims hereto Vappended to designate a still, vapor separating. drum or like device in which separation of vapors from liquid is desired'.

1. In an oil still, a vapor take-off conduit extending longitudinally into the vapor space of said still, said conduit being provided on its upper side with a narrow 1ongitudinally extending' opening, a curved guide member for guiding vapors through said opening to the interior of said conduit and' means within the still for collecting liquid thrown out of said vapors in passing through said opening separately from said vapors.

v2. In a still, a vapor conduit extending longitudinally into the vapor space of said still and provided with a narrow opening extending longitudinallyl of its upper surface, a curved guide member for directing vapors through said opening and a iin eX- tending from said guide memberto the lower portion of the conduit.

3. In a still, a vapor conduit extending longitudinally into the vapor space of said still and provided with a narrow opening extending longitudinally of its upper surface, a curved guide member for directing vapors through said opening, a iin extending from the curved guide member to the lower portion of the conduit, and means for withdrawing collected liquid from the lower portion of the conduit.

4. In a. still, a vapor take-off pipe .extending longitudinally into the vapor space of said still, said vapor pipe being slotted longitudinally on its upper surface within the still, a vertical fin extending longitudinally of the interior of the vapor pipe from the slots in its 'upper surface to its lower inte'rior surface, curved guides extending from the vertical fin on each side thereof through the slotted opening in the top of the vapor pipe, and serving as guides for directing the vapors from the still into the vapor pipe.

5. In a still, a vapor pipe extending longitudinally into the vapor space in the still, said pipe being slotted longitudinally on its upper surface within the still, avertical iin extending from the slot on the upper surface of the ipe to its lower internal surface, said vertica fin being formed of spaced partition members, a curved guide extending from each of the partition members outwardly through the slotted opening in the top of the pipe, and means for spacing the guides fromt'he sides of said opening.

' 6. In a still, a vapor pipe extending longitudinally into the vapor space in the still, said pipe being slotted longitudinally on its upper surface within the still, a vertical lin extending from the slot on .the upper surface of the pipe to its lower internal surface, said vertical fin being formed of spaced upper surface within the still, a vertical fin 4extending from the slot on the upper surface of the pipe to its lower internal surface, said vertical n being formed of spaced ar- 5 tition members, a curved guide exten 'ng from each of the partition members outwardly -through the slotted opening in the top of the pipe, spacers interposed at interv vals between the guide members and the sides of the slotted opening, means for forcing the guides against said spacers, and means for draining liquid from the interior of said vapor pipe.

8. A vapor take-off conduit provided with n a relatlvely narrow opening thereln, a

'curved guide adjacent said opening adapted to impart a curved motion to vapors passing through said opening, means adjacent said'guide and extending into the conduit provided with a' surface adapted to receive liquid particles projected thereagainst owing to said curved motion, means for leading off the vapors and separate means for leading 0H unvolatilized oil.

-9. The method of'removing-vapors from a still which comprises directing the vapors from the still in a curved path through longitudinally extended narrow openings into the interior of anindependent vapor removal passage extending into the vaporvspace of the still and' completely surrounded within the still by its vapors, thereby throwing extrained liquid particles out of said vapors, and collecting the entrained liquid thus removed within the vapor removal passage within the still and separately removingv it therefrom. v ROBERT E. WILSON. 

